Improvement in suction-boxes of machines for the manufacture of paper



"UNTT'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS CURTIS, OF FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,469, dated July 2, 1872.

Specification describing an Improvement in Suction-Boxes of Paper-Fabricating Machinery, invented by FRANCIS CURTIS, of Foxborough, Norfolk county, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

My present invention consists in constructin g the top of suction-boxes (which are usually foraminous) of glass or other transparent ma- .terial, in lieu of hard rubber or metal, or the use of rollers, as heretofore practiced. The object of this improvement is, first, to obtain a top for a suction-box, which shall possess and retain for years a highly-polished surface, in order that the endless wire apron may travel over it with little friction and with little or no perceptible wear upon it, the first cost of such top being no more than those now in use, and

being infinitely more durable. Secondly, the purpose of this invention is to enable the machine tender? or minder to inspect at any time, and without trouble, to the interior of the suction-box, so that he can arrange the adj ustable or movable heads and place them in the right position before starting the papermachine or passing the paper pulp over the suction-box. Much time is now lost, and a i great deal of broken or waste paper made in getting the movable heads inside the box in the right position, and this is important, as they must be brought directly under the edge of the sheet or film of pulp passing over the box on the endless wire apron, or otherwise the air is admitted to the interior of the box and the vacuum destroyed, and the box rendered useless. In the method heretofore practiced, the heads cannot be adjusted until the paper-machine has been started, and the paper pulp is passed over the box. This oftentimes requires thirty or forty minutes, and much valuable time is lost, and that at a time when the machine-tender has a great many other things to attend to. With my improvements the inside of the box can be seen at all times, the heads placed in the exact position,the box filled in the water, and everything made ready before drawing the paper pulp onto the wire-the paper can be carried through the machine at once, without loss of time or making of broken paper. My improvement will also enable the operator to see the inside of his box at all times, so that if the box should cease to do its work, as from various causes they oftentimes do, and spoil more or less paper, he can see what the difficulty is, and easily remedy it without stopping the machine.

As the boxes are constructed at the present time, if any disarrangement occurs to the inside of the box, and this is frequent, the machine must be stopped, the box removed entirely, (requiring the services of two men, or

more,) and the top taken oil, before the difficulty can be ascertained; whereas,-if the operator could see the inside of his box, the trouble could very likely be remedied in a few minutes without stopping the paper-machine. The length of time required to perform the above service would be from four to six hours, and is a serious detriment.

stated. I

FRANCIS CURTIS.

Witnesses FRED. CURTIS, W. E. BOARDMAN. 

